Paddy plantation in Madhes Province severely affected due to weak monsoon

Kathmandu: Paddy plantation in Madhes Province has been severely affected due to insufficient rainfall this monsoon.

With only 47% of paddy plantation completed so far—compared to over 80% during the same period last year—the federal government has declared the province a disaster-prone area for three months.

Experts have warned of a potential 15–20% drop in rice production if adequate rainfall does not occur by the first week of August.

Dr. Saroj Chaudhary, spokesperson for the Madhes Agriculture Ministry, said lack of rain has dried up seeds and damaged planted crops. Meteorologists attribute the poor rainfall to weakened monsoon winds, with only 34.9% of the expected monsoon precipitation recorded so far.

About 51% of paddy fields in Madhes rely solely on rainfall. Despite having irrigation infrastructure for half of its arable land, only a third is irrigated year-round.

The Agriculture Department has initiated field surveys to assess the damage and recommend measures. Last year, Madhes produced 1.48 million metric tons of rice, accounting for a 10.7% increase over the previous year.